Electric connector.



J. JLWALSH.

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. WALSH, or YONKERS, NEW YORK, A-SSIGNOR To YoNKEns SPECIALTY COMPANY, or"

YONKERS, NEW YORK, A PARTNERSHIP.

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR.

Application filed May 1, 1907. Serial No. 371,303.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN'J. WALSH, a

i citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Connectors, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to devices for connecting branch wires to electric mains, such a s 1i hting mains, telephone lines, etc. and has or 1ts object to provide an effective device for the purpose which shall be simple, effective in operation, and inexpensive to manufacturer 1 -To these ends the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations of elements hereinafter described, and

of a simple form of the device, to be used for connecting small wires, or where a large and heavy conductor 1s not needed.

The base memberof both forms of the invention is a strong and preferably rigid or inflexible plate of metal, forexample copper 01' brass, of somewhat greater length than width In Figs. 1 and 2 the base-plate is indicated by a, and-is of rectangular form. At one end it is formed with an upwardly concave portion 6 extending across the end and constituting a jaw to cooperate with-the similar, but downwardly, concave end 0 of a clamping member (Z arranged on the base-plate as shown. The clamping member (Z, preferably of substantially the same width as the\ base-plate, extends to a point short of'the middle of the base-plate, and is provided atits rear or inner end with a downwardly bent portion 6, forming a lug or bead which bears on the said plate. Extending through both members a and d, 'at about the center of the latter, is a short bolt f. The clamping member cl is of metal, and thoughthick and heavy, possesses some degree of resiliency. At the other end of the base-plate is another clamping member of the same size, indicated byfg, also of spring metal but prefer- Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented April 20, 1909.

ably considerably thinner than the corresponding member d. The member 9 has a downwardly bent portion h which is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the base- 'plate, asshown, leaving the rest of the said member normally spaced a slight distance from the gbase-plate. Passing through the plate a and member 9 is a bolt 2'. It is clear that both members 05 and g are capable of movement to and from the base-plate on the points of engagement therewith as fulcrums.

- In using the connector, the conductor j to be tapped, say a lighting main, is bared of its insulation for a distance equal to or a little greater than the width of the connector, as.at 70.

On this bared port-ion the curved jaws b, c, of the connector are placed and the bolt f is then tightened, binding the clamping member and the base plate firmly on the wire with good electrical contact.

The bared tap or branch wire 1 is then, or

has already been, placed around the bolt '5 between the member 9 and base a, and the bolt tightened, binding the two firmly on the wire. The pressure exerted by the clamping members at and g is. of course yielding,

by reason of the resiliency of these parts, I

thus putting a constant strain on the boltnuts and preventing the same from loosen The form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is designed for lighter work, such as in telephone circuits, but consists of essentially the same elements as the other. The device of Figs. 3 and t, however, does not have the curved clamping jaws of Figs. 1 and 2, both clamping members 01" and 9 being alike and preferably integral with each other. The two are conveniently made by striking down the central portion of a flat, relatively thin strip of spring metal, as shown, which central part is then riveted or otherwise'rigidly. fastened to the base member a; In using this device the wires m and n, which are to be connected, are arrangedbetween the base and the .respective clamping members 03, 9 like the wire Z in Fi s. 1 and 2, and the bolts f,- c", are tightene up, binding the parts together with yielding pressure. j

It will be seen that both devices are etfect ive for the purpose in hand, and at the same time are simple in construction and use.

The devices described are of course merely illustrative ofthe invention, which may be embodied in various forms Without departi ng from its proper scope as defined by the following claims.

What i claim is:

l. A connector for electric eonduetors, comprising a substantially fist, rigid plate, a spring metal plate substantially coextensive with the rigid plate and secured thereto at a point intermediate its ends, the opposii'e end portions of the springvplate being spaced from the rigid plate, the end portions of said plates being formed with ailining apertures, and fastening devices extending through said apertures to draw the said end portions toward each other.

2. A connector for electric conductors,

comprising a rigid plate, a spring metal pleie suliastantielly coextens ve with the (l plate and laid in facial Contact therewith their intermediate portions, means tures in said end portions, endfestening devices exl'endlng through. said apertures.

JOHN J VZALSH. 

